


42 Days

by Ultra



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Dating, Declarations Of Love, F/M, High School, Letters, Long-Distance Relationship, Love, Love Letters, Phone Calls & Telephones, Summer, Summer Vacation, Teenage Drama, Teenagers, Washington
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2517332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'The Blame Game'. Just when Jess & Rory's relationship is getting started, she has to go to Washington for the Summer. It's only six weeks, just 42 days, but that feels like a life-time to two young people in love. Of course, they plan to keep in touch, but will a few letters and phone calls be enough to sustain them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A few people said they would happily read a sequel to The Blame Game and I felt like writing it, so here it is. If you didn’t read that one but you stumbled upon this, it’ll probably make more sense if you go and read the first one first, obviously ;) Oh, and if anyone knows of a fic that is a little like this one in style, could you let me know? I’m sure I read something similar quite a while ago but for the life of me I can’t find it now, and I’d love to give props to the author for inspiring me with this story :)

Week 1

**Day 1**

Parting at the airport was kind of a cliché. Rory had said she didn’t mind if Jess wanted to stay behind and not see her off right at the gate, but cajoling by Luke, and even by Lorelai, made Jess realise that Rory was lying to him. She meant well, she didn’t want to seem like a clingy girlfriend type so soon after they officially started dating. Either that, or she was worried about making a fool of herself and crying all over him. Honestly, Jess felt he could cope with both those thing right now if he must. In his heart, he didn’t want her to go. He finally had Rory Gilmore for a girlfriend, which was precisely what he wanted pretty much from the first day they met. Now they were together, the Summer was just beginning and she was going away for six weeks.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” she complained from the circle of Jess’ arms. “I’m going to miss everybody and everything. Tell me again why I have to go away?”

“Because you’re brilliant and those people in Washington need to learn that,” he told her definitely, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Personally, I already know how great you are, and what kind of person would I be to keep all of your greatness to myself?”

Rory smiled a genuine wide smile at those words. Jess said some truly beautiful things to her sometimes, almost always well out of the way of anyone else’s earshot. Though Lorelai was trying to be nicer about Jess, Rory was sure the process would come a whole lot easier to her if she heard him saying things like this, but she never did.

The announcer called for those on the flight to Washington to get to the gate already. Rory’s smile faded some. She was looking forward to going in a way, to meeting senators and congress people, learning so very much. Sure, it meant sharing a room with Paris, but that seemed like a small price to pay. The larger price was leaving Stars Hollow behind, her mother, Luke, Lane, and her new boyfriend, Jess.

“I’ll call when I can, and write all the time,” she promised him faithfully.

“I’ll write back,” he nodded his agreement, before planting a kiss on her lips. “Forty two days,” he whispered.

“Only forty two days,” she echoed with a brave smile.

They parted then and Rory said goodbye to Luke and finally Lorelai, hugging her tighter than anything as her mother wished her luck and told her to stay safe. With that, little Rory Gilmore walked down towards the gate, dragging her luggage with her. She turned back just once, with tears in her eyes, to wave to those who had come to see her off. Jess swallowed hard as he waved back and watched her disappear from view.

“She’ll be back before you know it,” said Luke, slapping his nephew on the back.

“I know that,” replied Jess, rolling his eyes, trying to be fine.

Honestly, he hated this as much as Rory seemed to. Being parted from her so soon was a real blow, but they were young and they had all the time in the world. They would keep in touch and in just six weeks she would be back again. They would still have a little of the Summer left to spend together before school started up again, and nothing would tear them apart.

“It’s going to be so weird without her around,” said Lorelai with a heavy sigh, still staring off in the direction Rory had gone. “I know I have to get used to it. Before you know it she’ll be going to college, but... Oh, what is wrong with me?” she asked frustratedly, scrubbing at her cheeks as tears made her mascara run.

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Luke assured her, putting a hand to her shoulder. “You’re a mother who loves her daughter and has never really been away from her, but she’ll be fine. Rory’s a good girl, sensible and smart. You raised her right, Lorelai, she will be just fine,” he promised her.

A smile broke through her tears as Lorelai looked at him and nodded her head. He was perfectly right, as Luke so often was, and she was grateful for him being here like this.

“I think I need coffee,” she declared then, turning to leave with Luke and Jess.

“Didn’t see that coming,” the two guys chorused together.

Lorelai laughed long and loud as the pair looked aghast at each other, just a little freaked out by what just happened. Sometimes they were way more similar than they thought. It had taken a while for Lorelai to see the good in Jess but day by day things were improving. He certainly went up in her estimations for convincing Rory she should go on her trip to Washington for this junior leadership program. It would be good for her, for her education and the whole life experience thing. Lorelai also knew she had to get used to Rory being away, and figured if she could handle these six weeks, maybe she really would be okay with her baby girl going off to Harvard in a little over a year’s time. Somehow forty two days seemed like forever right now, and looking across at Jess as they cleared the doors out of the airport, Lorelai knew she wasn’t the only one thinking so.

 

**Day 2**

Rory sat down at the desk in the room she was sharing with Paris and picked up her pen ready to write. She already missed Jess, as well as her mom, Luke, Lane, and Stars Hollow in general. It was so strange to be away from everybody and everything she knew, but she had brought little pieces of home with her and that helped. She spoke to Lorelai after she arrived, a quick phone call just to let her know she had arrived safely in Washington. Now she wanted to let Jess know how things were going, and thank him for an unexpected gift too.

_Dear Jess,_

_First of all, you are just the sneakiest person on the planet! How did you get that book in my hand-luggage? Did you have Mom’s help? She swears she knew nothing about it and I can’t see why she wouldn’t take credit if she was part of the surprise, so it had to be you being sneaky all on your own. You’re such a hoodlum still! Thank you though, for the perfect gift. The plane ride was over so fast thanks to my beautifully annotated copy of Oliver Twist. I didn’t manage to read it all yet, obviously, but I plan to make time. Every time I miss you, I can flip through the pages and feel closer. Does that sound too sappy? I’m sorry, I know you usually hate that kind of thing, but the truth is that I’m already homesick, and missing you like crazy. I can just picture you reading this and smirking because you’re getting a fat head about me missing you. Right now I honestly don’t care._

_So I guess I should tell you about how things are here. As you know I’m sharing a room with Paris which is, well, interesting would be a good word, I guess. She is the reason I won’t be making too many calls to you in the next forty days. Paris is very particular about her sleep patterns so by the time you would be in the apartment and able to answer my call, I’ll probably be banned from actually talking at all. Sorry about that, but at least we can write and hopefully on the weekends I’ll be able to call without causing a total mental breakdown of my room-mate._

_Please don’t take too long in writing back with all the news from town. I want to hear it all, no matter how dumb it seems. Something must be happening in Stars Hollow, because there is always tales to tell. What job is Kirk doing this week? What’s Taylor’s latest scheme or rant about? You better keep me informed, Mariano, or there’ll be trouble!_

_Well, I should really go. Right now I should be getting ready for dinner, but I just had to write to you first, it was more important._

_With love,_

_Rory._

 

**Day 6**

Jess re-read Rory’s letter over again and smiled. It was actually kind of cool that she missed him, even if he wasn’t entirely sure that would last. She was off on an adventure in Washington, something educational that he would probably find boring himself but that his girlfriend had to be super-psyched to attend if she were truthful. Meanwhile, he was kicking his heels in the Hollow, a place where nothing truly interesting ever happened, unless of course somebody made it happen. Jess forced the wicked smirk off his lips and got up from the edge of the bed to go look for a pen and paper. He could pull all kinds of stunts this Summer, it was probably expected of him, by Rory most especially. She had referred to him by his formal town hoodlum title in her letter, after all. Still, if Luke or Lorelai caught him out pulling some prank, no matter how funny they agreed it was, it’d be his ass on the line again. As sorely as he was tempted, it actually occurred to Jess to weigh up his options these days and decide if a prank was truly worth the trouble it would cause. For now, he had been pretty well behaved, but six weeks of Rory deprivation might spur him into unruly behaviour yet, such he decided he would tell her as he began his letter.

_Dear Rory,_

_Aren’t we just a pair of traditionalists, keeping the art of letter writing alive? Your friend Miss Austen would be so proud! I totally understand about the lack of phone calls. Paris is a real nut and if you’re going to be sharing a room this whole time, it’s probably safer not to piss her off. She already has the access to kill you in your sleep, best not to give her a motive too._

_You’re welcome for the book, by the way. I figured I don’t need two copies and maybe I like the fact you took a little piece of me away with you to Washington. Yes, I can be sappy too, but if you tell anybody that, it’s your funeral, Gilmore. That said, I will admit this place is not the same without you. Stars Hollow is my favourite place in the world for precisely one reason, and she left for Washington six days ago._

_News from town. Yeah, really not as much to tell as you might think. Kirk is helping out in the beauty supply store, at least that’s what your mom said when she was whining to Luke about being over-charged for some shampoo or nail polish or something. Sorry, I zone out when she talks sometimes. A thousand words a minute is fine, but when the topic is beauty supplies, you can imagine how fast I switched off. The freakiest part is that Luke seemed to actually be listening, replying like he had a clue, and caring about the whole thing. I guess it’s not all that surprising since it’s Lorelai, but still._

_Speaking of Luke, I’m trying to convince him to get a snow cone machine installed at the diner. The weather is warming up and over the whole of the Summer he’d probably make a killing. Besides, free access to slushies works for me too. I don’t know if he’ll go for it, you know how he can be with money sometimes, but maybe I’ll grind him down eventually._

_You done with Oliver Twist yet? I imagine you’re three books down the line from that by now given the speed you read. I’m revisiting Hemingway while you’re gone, so I won’t bore you with any insights that you wouldn’t appreciate. Poor Ernest, he still has only lovely things to say about you._

_I have to go now, another shift in the diner beckons, and Luke will only start yelling if my ‘ass isn’t in gear’ on time._

_Stay out of trouble and don’t run off with any wannabe Senators, okay?_

_Love,_

_Jess._


	2. Chapter 2

Week 2

**Day 10**

“I’m not saying you have to bow down at his feet, Paris, but the guy was trying to be nice to you, it wouldn’t kill you to smile and be polite,” said Rory as they returned to their room that evening.

It had been a long day of debates, meetings, and lectures. Rory was beyond tired after being woken so early to head out, and not getting a huge amount of sleep last night anyway thanks to Paris’ continued sleep-talking. After a very long day of the same girl’s incessant complaining and interrupting of teachers, lecturers, and professionals alike, Rory really lost her temper when a perfectly nice guy paid a perfectly nice compliment to Paris, only to have her snap his head clean off.

“I didn’t come here to make nice with sarcastic Princeton jerks!” her friend yelled crossly, forcefully throwing her purse and a pile of literature onto her bed.

“Jamie isn’t a jerk!” Rory told her definitely. “He’s a nice guy!”

“Whatever,” Paris rolled her eyes. “Anyway, should you even be noticing other guys when you have a boyfriend back home? Holden Caulfield is only going to get jealous.”

“Jess has no reason to be jealous,” sighed Rory, copying her room-mate’s eye roll from before. “He was the one who encouraged me to come to Washington, even though it meant leaving him behind for most of the Summer, and he knew there would be guys here. He trusts me.”

“Why?” asked Paris seriously, so much so that Rory’s eyes went comically wide. “Well, no offence, but it was pretty obvious that you were into Jess before you ever broke up with Dean. If it wasn’t for the events that unfolded with the car wreck, I have to wonder if you wouldn’t still be with Dean even now. Either way, you were quite obviously fawning over Mariano long before things officially ended with you and Forester. That’s going to give a person trust issues. I’m just saying,” she shrugged, before disappearing off to the bathroom, her speech complete.

Rory gaped after her for a long while, considering all that Paris had said. She wanted to argue, to chase her down and give her a full run down of reasons why she was very wrong, but she couldn’t. The real problem that frustrated Rory more than anything was that she knew Paris was right, utterly and completely correct in her assessment. What Rory perhaps hadn’t considered before was that the whole thing might lead Jess to feel he couldn’t trust her.

Frowning hard, Rory went to the desk and sat down. She pulled out the letter Jess had sent to her, running her fingers along the lines of familiar handwriting. She had smiled so much reading his comments about Jane Austen, Paris’ craziness, and tales of Stars Hollow, but not this time, especially when she reached the end of the letter

Stay out of trouble and don’t run off with any wannabe Senators, okay?

Rory nibbled her lip, wondering if Jess really thought she would ever want to do that. Surely he understood that she loved him. He signed his letter off with love, and she had done the same, but that was just the way a person ended a letter, she supposed. Neither of them had actually said those words, the three really important words that meant something very important and special, or at the very least they should. It wasn’t that Rory wasn’t pretty sure it was love she was feeling for Jess, and she would hope he would say he felt the same, they just hadn’t actually said it yet.

The frown was back and felt as if it were here to stay as Rory pulled out a pen and began a reply to her boyfriend.

_Dear Jess,_

_I’m sorry for not writing any sooner. I’ve had your letter two days and read it at least six times, but I haven’t had the time to write back. Everything is so crazy here, it’s just one meeting, lecture, and visit after the other. Don’t get me wrong, it’s actually great. I’m learning a lot and despite my room-mate situation, it’s actually kind of fun. Obviously I’d rather have you here to spend my free time with. There’s not much free time, but I had planned to spend all that I did have with you in Stars Hollow. Paris is a very poor substitute! Did I tell you she talks in her sleep? And nothing normal either. I’d get it if she was screaming in nightmares or calling Johnny Depp’s name in desire, but it’s all politics and journalism. Last night alone she yelled the names Woodward and Bernstein, and I’m pretty sure the rest was Bill Clinton’s ‘I didn’t have an affair’ speech. It would be funny if it wasn’t stopping me sleeping at night._

_So, how are things back home? I know you said there was no exciting news to report before but by now something must be going on. Taylor must be stressing over the heat or Miss Patty must have snagged a new boyfriend. Give me all the gossip, please._

Rory stopped writing and chewed on the end of her pen. She hadn’t said anything that mattered yet, except for the fact that she missed Jess. It was crazy, they had so much to talk about when they were together, and yet writing to him wasn’t coming easily at all. It was different when the conversation was so one-sided. She couldn’t get any reaction from the person she was writing to, not for several days, so there was no back and forth, just silence. If Jess were there they would be talking books, arguing good-naturedly and teasing each other. Nodding her head once, Rory continued writing.

_I did finish Oliver Twist, and your insights made it all the more intetesing. Seems to me you have more affinity with Jack Dawkins than I ever knew. You were right about Nancy too, she walked a fine line between courage and stupidity. Staying with a person who hurt her the way Sykes did wasn’t smart, but she was clearly head over heels. I guess that kind of love just makes people do the strangest things._

Again Rory stopped writing. She wasn’t about to tell Jess she loved him in a letter, though the thought crossed her mind. She wanted him to trust her, and saying she loved him might put his mind at ease about her running off with some other guy. That said, love didn’t guarantee fidelity, not even in marriage. People had affairs all the time. Rory had loved Dean and yet fallen for Jess.

The whole topic made her head spin and Rory threw her pen down on the desk, pushing her chair back as she sighed. If she had just stayed home everything would be fine. She and Jess would be spending the whole Summer together and be much more solid in their relationship by the time they had to start spending large portions of time apart at their separate schools and all. The timing of this Washington trip was just terrible, but she knew Jess was right in encouraging her to come. It was a good experience, a chance to learn so much and meet so many important people. She had to be here and yet she felt she had left a part of her heart at home. She missed Jess but also her mom, Luke, Lane, everybody actually. They were all getting on with their lives without her and Rory hated that. She called Lorelai when she could but it wasn’t the same, and she didn’t even get the chance to speak to Jess properly, it was all just letters. It wasn’t enough, not for her, and she worried that it wasn’t enough for Jess either. Maybe he would suspect her of cheating. Maybe she should wonder if he was looking for comfort himself.

“That’s ridiculous!” she said to herself, shoving her chair back towards the desk and taking up her pen again.

Rory read the last paragraph over and decided to continue on the subject of books. It was a safe topic that she and Jess always enjoyed talking about. Besides, maybe discussing literature would take her mind off other entirely stupid things.

_Thank you for sparing me from a lecture on Hemingway this time. I did try to like him, if only for your sake, I just couldn’t. Maybe someday I will see the appeal and you will finally understand what I love about The Fountainhead. It all seems highly unlikely, but I guess stranger things have happened._

_I meant to ask, have you seen Lane at all? I wanted to call and check in with her, but I’m sure Mrs Kim will answer the phone and read me the riot act for going on a trip unchaperoned or calling when they’re eating dinner or something. I just want to know that she’s doing okay._

Her cell phone ringing pulled Rory away from her letter. She hoped to see that Jess was calling but found the coincidence both strange and amusing when it was Lane’s voice that greeted her instead.

“Hey, that’s so weird, I was just thinking about you,” she grinned. “Actually I was writing to Jess and asking how you were.”

“Because Jess would know how I am?” said Lane curiously.

“I know you guys don’t really hang out,” Rory agreed, switching the phone to her other hand as she moved to sit comfortably on her bed. “It’s just I didn’t know when was a good time to call you and check in, and I didn’t know if your mother was still reading your mail so writing was out too. I figured maybe Jess would’ve seen you around and could at least tell me you were alive and well.”

“Well, now you know the truth from the horse’s mouth - alive and kicking, just like Simple Minds,” she said. “Okay, so I called for more than to just let you know I was alive or to check how things were going. I have news.”

“News?” Rory echoed curiously. “Good or bad?”

“Well, that all depends. Maybe both.”

“Okay... start with the good.”

“Well, Jess has been like a bear with a sore head. I saw it myself and Lorelai mentioned it. She seems to think it’s because he misses you, which would count as good news, right?”

“It would,” said Rory, smiling widely for a few moments before recalling the start of this call. “But you also said there might be bad news.”

“It’s not definite, and I actually feel a little bad even calling you like this but... well, I’m your best fiend and that means I have a duty to keep you informed of matters that involve you or your boyfriend or both,” said Lane at length. “Rory, I think... well, there’s this girl that’s been hanging around Jess.”

Rory wasn’t sure how she was supposed to react to that.

“Oh,” she said eventually, pushing her hair off her face as she tried to think. “Um, so, he’s been talking to a girl. Not exactly a crime. I mean, he works in the diner, all kinds of customers come in, male and female, young and old.”

“True,” her best friend agreed. “But there are rumours. You know what this town is like and this particular girl, she’s... she’s the type with a reputation.”

“A reputation,” echoed Rory, not liking the sound of that.

“We’re talking Nell Gwyn, without the oranges... or that many morals,” explained Lane. “I’m sorry, Rory, I wasn’t even going to tell you because it could be nothing but this girl, she’s just... she seems to be around a lot and I don’t want to accuse Jess of anything, I’m sure he’s an innocent bystander, but...”

“But you thought I should know. I get it, and thank you,” said Rory with genuine gratitude evident in her tone. “Um, Lane, I really have to go right now, but hopefully we’ll talk again soon, okay?”

Lane seemed a little put-out that the call was ending so quickly, but she didn’t argue. She apologised again for the mixed news and then rang off. Rory shut off her cell and put it down on the bed, just staring at it for a few moments. So a girl was hanging around the diner, perhaps specifically around Jess, that didn’t mean anything. That didn’t mean she had to like it though.

With a frown, Rory went back to the desk and re-read what she had been writing to Jess. She picked up the pen and contemplated the next paragraph. She considered starting over, or maybe just writing that she talked to Lane so now she didn’t need Jess to tell her the status of her friends well-being. Neither appealed to Rory somehow. A part of her just wanted to pretend Lane never told her about some easy girl named Shane hanging around.

_I hope you’re having at least a little fun without me. I know you always say you don’t exactly have a lot of friends in Stars Hollow, but there must be some people around that you can hang out with when you’re bored, right? I’m sure there are._

_Thirty two days until I’ll be there again, and right now that seems like forever._

_I miss you._

_Love,_

_Rory._

_PS I’ll try to call you Saturday between your shifts._

**Day 13**

“I don’t like that girl,” said Luke, almost growling into his words.

Lorelai frowned as she turned on her stool and watched a blonde of about Rory’s age parting company with Jess right outside the diner door.

“For a reason?” she asked curiously. “I mean, all I can see from here is a slightly less than age appropriate shirt, blonde hair, and... oh, a cigarette,” she shook her head. “You’re worried she’s going to get Jess smoking again?”

Luke opened his mouth to answer but that was the moment when Jess walked in. Immediately Luke clammed up, even going so far as to paint on a smile as his nephew walked up to the counter.

“Here’s your tomatoes,” he said, dumping a brown paper bag onto the counter without much care. “By the way, Taylor knew you were only buying from him because your supplier messed up today and he was not happy about playing second fiddle,” he advised.

“Taylor’s never happy about anything,” replied Lorelai, rolling her eyes. “You’d think he’d be glad just to have made a sale. With so many people on vacation for the Summer, the town isn’t exactly teaming with customer type people.”

“Yeah, well, he’s not,” Jess told her. “Just thought you’d wanna know,” he said to Luke, fists tapping a random rhythm on the counter top before he swung around Lorelai’s stool and headed for the stairs up to the apartment.

“He didn’t smell like smoke,” she said in a low voice the moment Jess was out of sight. “I think he’s sticking to the whole abstaining of nicotine thing. Besides, he made that promise for Rory even more than he made it for you,” she reminded Luke. “You think he would mess that up?”

“Rory’s not here,” shrugged Luke, checking Jess really was gone before leaning over the counter towards Lorelai. “And it’s not just smoking that I’m worried about Jess getting into again. That girl out there, the blonde with the very forward ways, she’s been hanging around... a lot.”

Lorelai smirked.

“Well, Luke, people of the male and female persuasion are allowed to be friends,” she reminded him. “Besides, as much as I didn’t take an instant liking to your nephew, I have to admit, seventeen year old me probably would’ve been all over those dark looks and moody scowl,” she told him.

Luke looked completely weirded out by that comment, and when Lorelai’s mind dwelled too long on it she realised maybe it had been inappropriate the say. Still, she knew it was true. It certainly made sense of Rory’s attraction to Jess, what with mother and daughter being so similar in many ways. Jess sure wasn’t bad to look at and Lorelai meant what she said. She was sure as a teen she would’ve liked him and wasn’t shocked at all that he had admirers.

“I just... I don’t want Jess to get bored or lonely and do something dumb,” said Luke pointedly.

“Or moreover, do someone dumb,” replied Lorelai with a look of her own. “C’mon, Luke, give the kid some credit. One thing I know for sure about Jess is that he adores Rory. Those two are almost creepily committed for teenagers who only started dating like a month ago. I’m sure Jess has no designs on Miss Teenage Rampage, and even if she did like him that way, don’t you trust him to tell her no?”

Luke mulled it over a moment, thinking of how Jess had grown up a little these past weeks since the car wreck, how happy he seemed when things worked out with Rory, and how sad he was since she was gone. Maybe he was worrying over nothing.

“Yeah, I guess,” he sighed. “I’m sorry, I’m probably being ridiculous.”

“No, you’re being the wonderful caring man that only wants to protect both Rory and Jess from heartache,” she told him, putting her hand over his on the counter and smiling softly at him. “One of many things to love about the wonder that is Luke Danes.”

He didn’t know how to respond to that, he hadn’t known how to take any of the significant looks and particular touches that had started to pass between them ever since that same car accident that eventually brought Rory and Jess closer together. Luke wanted to jump in, both feet, no fears or concerns, but he couldn’t quite be sure that he wasn’t just misreading the signs from Lorelai. When she suddenly declared she had to go and left with a smile and a wave, he realised he had just missed yet another chance to ask her about the shift in their relationship that seemed so unidentifiable. Maybe tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Week 3

**Day 16**

“You wanna explain the look?” asked Jess as he wiped down the counter.

“What look? There’s a look?” replied Lane with as much fake innocence as she could conjure up. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Uh-huh,” he nodded, though it was clear Jess wasn’t buying. “Y’know Rory is supposed to call me later, after my shift,” he said then. “Did you have a message for her or something?” he tried, wondering if that was what this was all about.

Lane didn’t hang out in the diner much, mostly because Mrs Kim would throw a fit if she saw her daughter eating a cheeseburger, talking to a boy, or even so much as acting like a normal teenage girl. Jess knew all this very well, both from what he had seen and what Rory had told him about her BFF. In spite of all this, Lane had been in every day for almost a week and usually her focus was very much on Jess. He would think she had a crush on him herself if he didn’t know way better than that. Something was definitely going on.

“Nope, no message,” she shrugged easily. “In fact, I spoke to Rory myself a couple of days ago.”

“Really? Must’ve been after her last letter,” said Jess thoughtfully. “She asked me if you were okay, which I’m guessing she wouldn’t if she talked to you herself.”

“I guess not,” Lane agreed, staring at him as if he were a bug under a microscope.

Jess really didn’t know what to make of that, and he was done trying to figure it out. In ten minutes his shift was done and he could go upstairs and wait for Rory to call. That sounded kind of lame in his head, waiting around like a sap for the phone to ring and all. Jess hated the idea that he was whipped, but it wasn’t as if anyone had to know about it, not even Luke. Jess was pretty sure his uncle had no idea Rory was calling soon, he certainly hadn’t told him, and he wasn’t planning on it. The assumption would be that he was upstairs reading, and no questions would be asked. That didn’t mean Luke didn’t like to ask his questions about Rory and the status of the relationship between his nephew and almost-daughter. Jess couldn’t quite figure out what it was all about when Luke started asking if everything was okay with him and Rory, how much they were talking, how much he missed her. Coupled with Lane’s staring at him like a science project, all Jess could think was that nobody was entirely trusting his fi  
delity. All the pieces started to click together when twenty minutes after getting upstairs from his shift in the diner, Rory finally called.

“Hey, you’re there,” she seemed to smile into those words. “I was worried you’d get held up or something. It was pretty much now or never for me to call. Paris has gone to bawl out one of the supervisors over lunch choices, so I think we’re good for a half hour or more.”

“Sounds about right,” Jess nodded. “I’m glad you called. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“Yours too,” agreed Rory. “So, how’re things? I take it you got my letter?”

“Yesterday,” he assured her. “And things are fine, normal. Well, as normal as things ever get in this crazy town,” he smiled, straddling a chair by the table where the phone sat. “You having a swell time on your educational whirligig of fun?” he teased her.

“Well, I got to see Archie Bunker’s chair at the Smithsonian Museum yesterday, so that was a big thumbs up for me,” she giggled.

“Wow, now I’m super impressed,” Jess dead-panned, as she knew he would. “So, Lane said I don’t need to report on her health since she called you the other day.”

“Oh, er, yeah, she did.”

“You girls have a nice talk about me?”

“About you? Wow, your head really is big if you think all my conversations with everyone are about you, mister!”

She said it like she was mocking him, but there was this weird tone in her voice and Jess heard it all too clearly.

“What’s going on, Ror?” he asked her seriously. “And don’t tell me it’s nothing. I’ve got Lane staring at me so hard I feel like my head should be exploding off my shoulders from her sheer power of will, and Luke is questioning me about how much I’m missing you like he thinks I don’t. Something is going on.”

There was an awkwardly long silence before Rory gave in and answered.

“Do you miss me? Really?” she checked.

“You know I do,” replied Jess without missing a beat. “Rory, what is going on?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “I just... Remember that joke we made at Sookie’s wedding? When I said I was going away and you said you wouldn’t be moving on to the first easy blonde that came along?”

That was the moment, the exact second when the last piece fitted into the puzzle and Jess put it all together. It made him mad to think that Rory couldn’t trust him, but also a little flattered that she seemed to think he could get another girlfriend that easily. Actually, he probably could, but he wouldn’t. He shook his head as he realised he should have figured this out days ago. His hand went to his back pocket and he pulled out the last letter he got from Rory.

I know you always say you don’t exactly have a lot of friends in Stars Hollow, but there must be some people around that you can hang out with when you’re bored, right? I’m sure there are. 

It had seemed weird at the time when he first read it, questioning his friendships around the Hollow, of which she knew there were very few and that was how he liked it. Now Jess saw new meaning in her questions. She wasn’t making sure he was having fun hanging out with the guys from the high school, throwing a football around or whatever. She was asking if any girls were interested in him, if maybe he was interested in them too.

“Jess? You still there?” she checked when he didn’t answer for too long.

“I’m here,” he replied. “Just busy doing cartwheels over all the trust I’m getting right now.”

His tone was deliberately cold, and Jess felt justified in being that way. It wasn’t as if he had a rep for messing girls around. Rory was the first one in town that he dated and he never gave her cause to believe he wanted anybody else. If they were going to throw stones, he had much more ammunition that she did. After all, Rory had still been dating Dean when she first showed interest in Jess. They had kissed before the break up with her first boyfriend, which technically made her a cheater. If she made this into a fight, he was going to bring that up, and screw the consequences.

“Jess,” she sighed. “I’m sorry, I just... I do trust you, of course, I do,” she promised.

“Oh yeah?” he checked. “Because you seem awfully interested in who I’m hanging out with while you’re gone. And hey, what about you, Rory? How do I know what you’re doing in Washington? I mean, you say it’s all boring speeches and rooming with Psycho Geller, but is that the truth? Or are you learning more than just your constitutional rights from all the upstanding young American guys upstate?”

Jess didn’t believe anything he was saying. There was no way Rory was cheating on him, any more than the reverse was true, but it hurt to be all but accused this way. He had done nothing to deserve it, not a damn thing, even if he did know who the blonde was that Rory eluded to before.

“Jess, I said I was sorry,” she told him then, tears in her voice that killed him, but he wasn’t going to give in on this one, he couldn’t. “You know I would never cheat on you.”

“Really? ‘Cause the first time you kissed me, you were kinda cheating on Dean.”

There was no need for that, not really, but she hurt him and so Jess felt justified in getting in the only jab he could in retaliation. He told himself he wasn’t going to be so harsh unless she started a real fight, and she hadn’t. She had apologised, twice already, and yet Jess just had to be hurtful, it was like a reflex.

“Look, I have to go,” he said then, knowing whatever retort Rory made now would be laced with sadness and tears he couldn’t stand. “We’ll catch up some other time.”

He hung up before she had barely said goodbye, crashing the receiver back into the cradle. Jess felt lousy, mad at himself as much as at Rory. Getting up from his seat, he grabbed up his jacket and headed out, not even pausing in the diner when Luke yelled after him, asking where he was going. He had someone he had to go see and it had to be now.

* * *

“Yes, ma’am, we have you all booked in for next weekend,” said Lorelai with a smile as she confirmed the reservation over the phone. “Okay, have a nice day and we’ll see you then.”

It was a surprise to hang up from her call and realise there was somebody waiting to talk to her at the counter. This was no guest of the inn or even a harassed staff member looking for a little help. This was in fact the last person she had expected to see.

“Jess, hi,” she greeted him with a somewhat forced smile. “Um, what brings you here?”

He almost looked as if he wasn’t sure himself, which seemed strange to Lorelai. If anyone knew their own mind on a pretty regular basis, she would say it was Jess Mariano. He seemed to think he knew everything a not small part of the time, to the point where it was really kind of annoying. Lorelai shook her head, because none of this was important right now.

“I’m an idiot,” said Jess suddenly turning as if to leave.

Lorelai frowned. This was just an odd situation. If Rory were around she would say Jess had come looking for her, maybe to patch up things after a fight. With her baby girl in Washington for the foreseeable, Lorelai couldn’t understand what was happening, until she suddenly remembered Rory had said she was going to call Jess today. Why that would lead to his being here and in such a weird mood, Lorelai couldn’t guess, but she planned to find out.

“Jess!” she called to him as she ran out from behind the counter.

He stopped walking at the sound of his name, but didn’t turn until her hand caught his shoulder and encouraged the movement. Jess let out a long sigh as he faced her at last.

“Look, we both know that you would only come here to talk to me if something serious was happening with Rory,” said Lorelai when she had his full attention, though he was quite clearly wishing to be anywhere but here right now. “What’s up, Jess? Did she not call?”

“She called,” he confirmed, hands in his pockets, eyes momentarily on the floor and then the opposite wall before he met her gaze. “Did you know she thinks I’m cheating on her?”

Lorelai’s eyes widened a little.

“No,” she said definitely. “Honestly, Jess, I have not said anything to make her think that if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

Jess didn’t doubt that was the truth, though he was a little surprised if he were honest.

“Huh.”

“C’mon, come sit down,” Lorelai gestured for him to follow her to an empty couch where they sat together. “Now, I know you and me aren’t exactly the best of friends, but we’ve been getting along lately, and we’re both suffering the same Rory withdrawal, so how about you tell me what’s going on and I’ll see if I can help.”

Jess wasn’t so sure he wanted to do this, and yet if he didn’t, what had he come here for? Somebody had put the idea into Rory’s head that he was messing around with a blonde, which could only be Shane. He was innocent, that much Jess was clear on, but somebody suspected otherwise. If it wasn’t Lorelai then it had to be Lane, and yet none of this was really the point.

“Rory started quizzing me on who I’ve been hanging out with while she’s away,” he admitted, running a hand back through his hair and messing up the carefully gelled style without even thinking about it. “She mentioned a conversation we had before she left, something about me getting restless while she was gone and running around with the nearest hot blonde.”

“And you’ve been seen with a hot blonde of late,” said Lorelai knowingly. “Now I see why you thought I had a hand in this, but I swear, Jess, I didn’t say a word. I was the one that told Luke he should have more faith in you, marvel at the irony,” she rolled her eyes.

Jess was a little bemused by that remark, but he let it go. That also wasn’t the point right now.

“I’m pretty sure it was Lane that gave up the information,” he said with a look. “But that doesn’t bother me so much, what kills me is that Rory would listen to that crap. Shane is just... she’s just a girl I know,” he shrugged.

“A girl that really, really wants to know you better,” said Lorelai with a look of her own. “C’mon, Mariano, you know you have the whole James Dean charm going on, and that Rory isn’t the only one to notice,”

“You comin’ onto me, Lorelai? ‘Cause that’s a little too Graduate for my taste,” he smirked annoyingly.

“Down boy!” she teased him, just as much as he dared to tease her. “My point is, Rory really likes you and she hears from her trusted BFF that you’ve been seen hanging around with another girl. If she were here to see the truth of the matter, she’d be fine, but she’s far, far away and... well, it’s kind of a new relationship. Us girls, we can be kind of insecure sometimes, no matter how pretty and smart we are,” she smiled, bumping her shoulder against his own. “Take it as a compliment that she thinks you’re cute enough to score another girl so fast.”

Jess had to smile at the way she put it if nothing else. If Rory hadn’t confided her worries to Lorelai, she couldn’t have put much stock in them, or maybe she already knew it was dumb of her to think such things about him. Either way, it still hurt to realise Rory didn’t trust him, and Jess wasn’t thrilled about that.

“Thanks, Lorelai,” he told her anyway, sparing her a smile before he got up to leave.

“You’re welcome, I guess” she said, a little bemused. “I’m not really sure what I did, but...”

“You helped,” he shrugged. “Er, if Rory calls you about the fight we had, don’t...”

“Tell her you talked to me about it?” she finished for him. “I don’t lie to my daughter, Jess, not anymore than you do,” she said with a look. “But I don’t betray confidences either. I may mention we talked, but I won’t tell her what you said if you don’t want me to.”

Jess was developing quite a healthy respect for Lorelai Gilmore, and never more so than today. He nodded once in further thanks and then left. Today had not been his greatest day, and yet he felt a little better than he had a half hour ago.


	4. Chapter 4

**Day 22**

“He still hasn’t written to me,” Rory whined into the phone. “Mom, I think I screwed up.”

“Honey, you didn’t screw up!” Lorelai insisted, before reconsidering. “Well, okay, maybe you did a little, but you’re young, and you’re in a new relationship, screw ups happen.”

“I don’t want screw ups to happen, I want Jess to not be mad at me!”

“He’ll get over it. Honestly, I thought he was more over it than this after we talked but the male ego is a fragile thing, baby. It fractures easy, and it’s hell to fix it, but I’m sure in a couple of days, you will get a letter from Jess, okay?”

Rory sighed heavily; “I hope you’re right.”

“Am I ever wrong?” her mother countered. “Hmm, don’t answer that.”

The call ended a short while later, with words of love and promises to keep in contact as Rory’s trip entered it’s second half. Right now she couldn’t wait to come home, partly because she missed her mom, but moreover in this moment because she wanted to make things right with Jess. Rory knew the moment she started questioning him about cheating on her that she had done wrong. She had got really upset after their conversion, partly from Jess accusing her of maybe cheating on him, dragging up how their own relationship had started to develop before she officially broke up with Dean. Knowing he was right about that hurt more than anything else.

It had been six days since the phone call she made to him, five since she spoke to her mom on the same topic and found out Lorelai had talked to Jess about things. She wouldn’t say exactly what was said out of respect for Jess (which in itself seemed strange to Rory). She had waited and waited for a letter to arrive from her boyfriend, but none came. Rory considered calling the diner, but there had really only been two occasions when she could use the phone without Paris blowing a fuse. Once had been just now when Rory felt a great need to confide in Lorelai. The previous half hour of spare time a couple of days ago had been so late, she was worried about getting Luke on the phone and having a very awkward conversion with him about what had happened with Jess.

Rory moved to her desk and pulled out paper and pen. She had considered writing a further letter to Jess regardless of his lack of reply, but every time she stalled right after ‘Dear Jess, I’m sorry’. She wanted to do this in person, or at the very least on the phone so she could properly explain herself and hear his voice again. It seemed she wasn’t going to get her wish any time soon, at least that was what she thought until suddenly the room phone rang.

“Hello?” she said after grabbing up the receiver.

The kind lady at reception said there was an external call for Rory Gilmore and would she liked to accept it. Without even checking who it might be, Rory said yes and held her breath in anticipation of hearing Jess’ voice.

“Oh, hey, Lane,” she greeted her friend flatly.

“Wow, listen to all that enthusiasm,” Lane dead-panned. “Really glad I called you, bestie.”

“I’m sorry,” sighed Rory, pushing her hand back through her hair. “I was kind hoping Jess was calling, that’s all.”

“Actually I may have good news on the Jess front. I haven’t seen that Shane girl hanging around the diner at all since you guys fought last week, and there’s a rumour going around that she tried something with him and he totally shut her down.”

“Really?” said Rory hopefully, feeling bad about it a second later.

It was so wrong to be relieved, she should have just believed in Jess in the first place. He cared about her, he wouldn’t cheat while she was gone. Given the amount of people who would tell her about it, Rory knew he would have to be pretty dumb to try it. He could’ve got bored of waiting for her and have moved on before she got home again, but Rory hoped that wouldn’t happen. She should have had more faith in Jess and known for sure it wouldn’t. Man, did she feel bad.

“Rory?” Lane prompted a third time when her friend didn’t answer. “You still there.”

“Yes, sorry” she apologised immediately. “Lane, I’ve been so dumb. I never should’ve accused, Jess, or even suggested he might’ve been cheating on me. I don’t believe it, so why did I even say those things?”

“Because of me,” her friend said sadly. “And I’m sorry, Rory, I never should’ve told you about that girl hanging around, it wasn’t fair.”

“Lane, you were just looking out for me, and I appreciate it, really,” Rory insisted. “This is my fault, and now I guess I’m just going to have to live with the consequences of my actions,” she said bravely.

The truth was, it was breaking Rory’s heart not hearing from Jess, and she really hoped that her mom was right and a letter would arrive soon. He could be over all this by now, probably wrote to her and the mail just lost it. She hoped that was all it was, but Rory couldn’t believe it. Not content with screwing up her first real relationship, it seemed like maybe she had now screwed up the second one too.

**Day 23**

“What is wrong with you?” asked Paris crossly, realising two thirds of the way through her latest political rant that Rory hadn’t heard a single word. “This last week you have had the personality of a wet mop and a face as long as route sixty-six,” she said snippily. “What is wrong?”

“I haven’t heard from Jess in a week,” said Rory sadly. “And I know you probably think I’m pathetic, pining for a guy and all, but I miss him, and I know he’s mad at me, and I don’t know how to fix it, and...”

“Please, stop!” Paris snapped, her hand held up in the universal sign for halt. “Putting aside your astonishingly bad grammar - five ands in a sentence, Rory? Please! - how can you not know how to fix things with James Dean? I mean, if he hurt you then you dump him, and if you hurt him then you apologise.”

It was shockingly simple advice, making it almost impossible to argue with, at least Rory thought so. It was really as easy as saying she was sorry. Jess was a reasonable person in a lot of ways, if she just called him up and apologised, he was bound to forgive her. He was probably feeling bad for what he said too, even though it was true and pure retaliation which Rory could completely understand. She shook her head.

“Wow, I have been so stupid.”

“I’m the stupid one,” said Paris as she got up, rolling her eyes for good measure. “Now I’m going to be forced to leave the room for fear of throwing up my lunch if I have to hear you and your boyfriend making up via phone,” she said, picking up her jacket and heading for the door. “You have exactly thirty minutes and then I will be back. The smoochy noises better be over by then, okay?” she asked sharply, and yet there was a hint of a smile playing at her lips as she hovered by the door.

Rory smiled genuinely at her friend.

“Thanks, Paris.”

With a single nod of her head, Paris then left and immediately Rory grabbed up the phone and dialled. She would call the apartment number and hope she got Jess. If she got Luke, so be it, she would just ask him to put Jess on the phone, and if he couldn’t be reached, well then, she was going to stay on the line until somebody found him! Rory was all prepared for any of these situations and was therefore stunned into momentary silence when she realised Jess himself had picked up the phone.

“Hello?” he tried a second time when no answer came.

“Hi,” she said eventually.

“Rory,” he breathed her name, and relief washed over her.

Jess didn’t sound mad exactly and he wasn’t yelling or hanging up on her. These were all good signs as far as Rory could tell.

“Hi,” she said again, feeling dumb, but the rest of her vocabulary seemed to have left the building the moment he picked up the phone.

“Yeah, you said that already,” Jess told her, sounding vaguely amused.

“Yeah, well, words are kind of an issue lately,” she admitted. “I started at least fifteen different letters to you, but... I don’t know, it wasn’t working. I needed to talk to you, but I worried about calling...”

“Why?”

“Because... Jess, I’m so sorry. Really, I am.”

There it was, the apology, it was out there and it ought to make things better. A whole new wave of relief came over Rory when Jess replied; “Me too.”

“You are?” she checked.

“Yeah,” sighed Jess, and she could just picture how awkward he looked right now, like he always did when he had to be genuine like this. “I, er... I maybe over-reacted a little.”

Rory smiled at that.

“Maybe,” she agree, “but I shouldn’t have accused you.”

“And I shouldn’t have accused you either,” he countered. “That wasn’t cool.”

“No, but I started it.”

They seemed to have reached an impasse, albeit a shockingly comfortable and agreeable one. They had both been wrong in their behaviour, misguided and stupid when they accused each other of cheating. It wasn’t going to happen, they cared too much for each other to screw this up, and they both ought to have known it. Now they did, now they were back on the right track.

Jess knew he should just let the whole thing drop now. Rory apologised, he did the same, case closed. Unfortunately, the full disclosure bug seemed to have bitten since their fight and he wanted to ensure they had a clean slate here before they moved forward.

“Her name’s Shane, by the way,” he told Rory.

“As in ‘come back’?” she asked acidly.

Jess smirked.

“Yeah, something like that,” he agreed. “We were just hanging out. I was bored, she was there, but nothing happened,” he promised her faithfully. “She did... she kind came on to me the other day, but I told her I wasn’t interested. I swear, Rory, nothing happened, and I haven’t seen her since.”

As much as it caused a hot flow of anger to bubble up inside of Rory to hear that some slutty girl had tried to put the moves on her guy, she did love that he told her about it and explained everything. He didn’t have to do that, though Rory supposed it was better she hear this from Jess and nobody else. If Shane herself or some busy body in town decided to give Rory their own version at a later date, that could cause more problems. This way was better, now she had the truth from a person she trusted.

“I believe you,” she promised, “and I haven’t even thought about another guy that way, I swear.”

“I believe you too,” he said with a smile she could see so clearly in her mind. “So we’re good?”

“We’re good.” Rory grinned herself at that. “I’ve missed talking to you,” she told Jess, as she moved to sit more comfortably on her bed, leaning back amongst the pillows. “Tell me everything that’s happening in Stars Hollow.”

Jess picked up the phone and pulled it as far as the cable would go so he could recline on his bed as they chatted.

“Well, it’s been pretty hot lately,” he told Rory thoughtfully. “Yesterday there was a run on snow-cones. Machine broke, people went crazy, Taylor tried to call in the National Guard.”

“Seriously?” she giggled at the mental imagery he was conjuring.

Maybe Jess was exaggerating a little, but it was so good to hear Rory laugh like that. It really had sucked this past week not hearing from her, but his stupid male pride wouldn’t let him be the first to give in. He had started letters to her too, maybe even more than she had begun to him, but she didn’t have to know that, not right now anyway. Things were better now, all figured out, and they could just talk about stupid stuff until one or the other of them needed to go. This past week had not been fun, but they’d made it past half way in their time apart at least. Twenty three days down and only nineteen to go.


	5. Chapter 5

Week 5

**Day 29**

Lorelai came into the diner with the biggest smile on her face, and Luke wasn't sorry to see it. In fact, he was returning the look which was quite strange. Luke Danes wasn't exactly known for his good moods, but this past week had been different. Some said it had more to do with Lorelai than anything else. This Summer had certainly seen a turn in the Luke and Lorelai relationship, ever since that dance they shared at the St James/Belville wedding. Of course, that had been developing for a month now, what had really changed in the last few days was a whole other relationship, that between Rory and Jess.

"Isn't a beautiful sunny day?" said Lorelai as she parked herself on a stool by the counter.

"Birds singing, kids laughing, life is good," Luke agreed, as he poured her a full cup of coffee. "I can't believe the good mood he is in," he added in a lower register as he leaned over the counter towards her.

"I know!" she agreed in a tone just above a whisper. "Rory has called me every day since they made up, just giddy with being in love. I swear, if it was any sweeter I'd be puking by now."

"Lovely," dead panned Luke, rolling his eyes. "But honestly? Jess is the same. Not exactly skipping and tossing rose petals, but honestly, I'd be worried if he were," he considered. "But he's happy, like, really happy. I actually think maybe those two are happier since the fight than they even were before it."

"Could be," said Lorelai thoughtfully as she sipped her coffee. "Sometimes realising what you have to lose just makes you all the more grateful that you have it."

She seriously had been talking about Rory and Jess when she said it, and yet when she looked at Luke and inadvertently caught his eye, it seemed to mean more. They had both seen what life would be like without the other, when Luke was with Rachel, when Lorelai almost married Max. Time passed and they danced around the fact that they might mean more to each other. The dance at Sookie's wedding seemed to mean something, and yet with the craziness of work and the kids messed up relationship, nothing had really happened yet. It made Lorelai start to wonder if it ever would.

"So, er, things at the inn, okay?" asked Luke, making a big deal of rearranging the doughnuts and tidying the counter when he noticed how long he and Lorelai had been caught in a stare, eyes only for each other.

"Things at the inn are good," she confirmed. "I'd ask how things are here, but hey, you have the coffee, it's always good," she grinned, toasting him with her cup and taking a long drink.

"You ever think about trying the coffee some place else?" asked Luke suddenly.

Lorelai almost choked on her drink.

"Are you asking me to leave and never come back to your diner?" she checked, looking totally shocked and horribly hurt.

Luke felt sick.

"No! No, no, no!" he insisted. "I was... I was trying to ask if you wanted to... to..."

"He's asking you out," said a voice that got the attention of both sides of the awkward non-couple. "Seriously, Uncle Luke, you gotta get better at that," said Jess with a serious smirk on his face before he turned from the store room he'd been working in to head for the stairs up to the apartment.

In his wake he heard Lorelai laugh a little and then speak to Luke.

"That was you trying to ask me out?" she checked. "Oh, Luke, you just had to say 'do you wanna get coffee with me sometime?' Seriously, I... I'd love to."

Jess couldn't keep the grin off his face as he headed upstairs. He and Rory were happy, and his uncle deserved the same. So did Lorelai, actually. She had been pretty decent with him these past few weeks, and never did get involved when the fight broke out between Jess and Rory. He really appreciated that, and if he could show that appreciation in the non-obvious of way of helping the two adults find a little of what he and Rory had, so much the better.

* * *

Rory couldn't believe how busy the trip to Washington had been keeping her. Since she and Jess made up, all she wanted to do was talk to him. Calling was always awkward with Luke around at his end or Paris on her side, but she could write letters, if only she could find the time. She started one days ago now but still hadn't had a chance to finish it and send it off. Finally she had a half hour between getting back from a conference and heading down to dinner.

Sat at the desk, Rory pulled out her pad of paper and started reading through what she had so far. 

_Dear Jess,_

_Excuse the clich‚ but I really wish you were here. I know I've been saying that since I first came to Washington and I always mean it, but today I have a specific reason. Yesterday a few of us went out on our own to shop and look around, and we came across the most amazing book store. Jess, you would've loved this place. In fact, it's so good, I think at some point I'm going to have to come back here with you just so we can spend the whole day browsing. Paris was pretty strict about the time she wanted to leave to head back, so I barely got to dig through the fiction side, and the non-fiction looked so pretty and inviting! If we get anymore free time and I can convince Paris to come back with me, I might check it out, but I still want to drag you out here sometime, because I know you would love it. Besides, I've never enjoyed a book store as much as when I'm in one with you._

_What have you been reading while I've been gone? Are you still working through Hemingways yawn-worthy volumes or did you actually get into something interesting by now? I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a whole other suitcase just to bring home the extra books I've bought so far. We got a trip out to the movies last week too, did I tell you about that? I'm pretty sure I didn't, but just so you know the new Scooby Doo movie is not worth the time._

_Rory shook her head and then picked up her pen to continue where she left off._

_I just read back what I wrote before and it really does sound like I'm on vacation, doesn't it? Trust me, I am learning a lot. Yesterday we met Senator Barbara Boxer and Republican Congressman Doug Ose from California. Paris was scaring them to death with a hundred and one awkward questions, but everybody else was nice enough and their talks to the group were really interesting. I'll spare you the details since I know it's not really your idea of fun, but rest assured, your girlfriend is getting brainier as well as enjoying herself out here._

_Speaking of Paris, I probably shouldn't talk about her like this without her knowing, but it's nothing I haven't tried to say to her face. There's a guy here that I think actually likes her! As in wants to date her. I know it's surprising, but Paris isn't always the nightmare she seems, and I guess it's true what they say, there really is somebody out there for everybody. Anyway, the guy's name is Jamie and he goes to Princeton. He and Paris were on opposite sides of a debate the other day and I seriously thought the roof was going to blow off the building from the tension! Well, they do say that people who fight hardest are actually attracted to each other. Maybe Paris and Jamie are the next Lizzie and Darcy, except angrier on her side, and they're both rich. That analogy kind of sucked, but it's late and I'm tired, so you'll have to just pretend it was a smarter reference than it was._

_Actually it's even later than I thought and I should really be heading down to dinner. Hope everything is good at home in the Hollow._

_Still missing you,_

_Rory_

**Day 32**

Jess finished reading Rory's letter and laughed when he got to the part about the guy with a crush on Paris. That sounded unbelievable, but Rory wouldn't lie, and like she said, supposedly there was somebody in the world for everybody. Whoever this Jamie from Princeton was, Jess wished him all the luck in the world, most especially if he was going to try to date Paris Geller. Jess would be careful what he said on that topic though. It seemed Rory and Paris were becoming less adversaries and more friends these days and the last thing he wanted to do was start another fight.

Sitting back against the headboard, Jess propped the legal pad against his knee and started his reply to Rory, referring to her letter as he went down the page.

_Dear Rory,_

_You're bringing home more books. Wow, I'm shocked. I'm assuming my sarcasm is strong enough to come across even in the written word, after all, you know me pretty well, and your love of books is pretty legendary. Yes, I am aware that I can't judge given my own collection. What kind of things did you pick up? Anything I can borrow later? I'd definitely love to see that store sometime. Maybe we'll take a trip next Summer, that'd be cool._

_I finished my own collection of Hemingways within the first couple of weeks of you being gone, then hit the Russians for a while. Is it petty if I admit I went to Andrew's store and got more Hemingway when we were fighting? I know, it's dumb, but I don't regret it. I'd forgotten how much I liked 'Across the River and into the Trees' the first time. Then the last few days I've been ploughing through The Fountainhead. I can't believe I went back to it, I vowed not to after the last time, but I knew it'd make you happy if I gave it another chance. I guess it's not so bad, but that woman is crazy and I expect some kind of reward when I get to the end of the damn book!_

_As for the movie, do not worry about me ever seeing Scooby Doo. It was not on my to do list at all. Of course I probably could've been convinced to go if you had wanted to, but thank you for saving me a couple of hours of torture, I appreciate that._

"Jess!"

Luke's voice boomed up from the bottom of the stairs causing his nephew to roll his eyes. He had hoped to get a reply written to Rory before he was needed to work in the diner. Checking the clock he realised he definitely shouldn't have been summoned yet, not for another hour.

"Jess, I'm not kidding, get your ass down here now!"

That made Jess wince a little, but then smirk as he realised he wasn't wanted for work, he was in trouble. That had to mean Taylor was here. Jess bit his lip, dumped the paper and pen on his bed and got up. Time to face the music, he supposed. He went over to the mirror and practised his most innocent expression for a second. It was fine, he could do this.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said to himself, a practice run before he headed down the stairs to face the wrath of his uncle and the town selectman, reminding himself all the way not to smirk!

**Day 35**

Rory couldn't help the blush that rose in her cheeks as she read the part of Jess' letter that told her he expected payment from her for suffering through Ayn Rand's classic that so pained him. After six weeks away from him, Rory knew she would be as eager and willing a participant in those kind of activities as he was, but thinking about it, especially with Paris in the room, just made her feel so embarrassed. Thankfully her room-mate was on the phone to her Portuguese nanny right now and not paying any mind to Rory.

_So, Taylor is on the rampage. Apparently somebody left a banana peel on his doorstep and now he has a sprained ankle. There's a long list of suspects as I'm sure you can imagine, and yes, naturally, yours truly is on the top of that list. Luke went crazy when he thought it might actually have been my fault. Doesn't he know I've cut way back on my pranks these days? Not that I could ever stop completely. The town needs me to be myself. I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't keep up in my hoodlum ways, now would I?_

_How is Paris and her lobotomised friend? I'm guessing he has to be medically insane to have a crush on her, but hey, I found you. If there's a woman in the world who can put up with me, I figure even Paris has a chance of finding somebody._

_If there was more exciting news to give you, I would, but Stars Hollow isn't exactly hoppin' this Summer. By the time you get this letter it shouldn't be much more than a week before you get home. Then and only then am I going to be able to say I'm enjoying this Summer._

_See you soon, but not soon enough,_

_Jess_


	6. Chapter 6

Week 6

**Day 37**

_Dear Jess,_

_I know it’s dumb of me to be writing this close to when I’m coming home. By the time I mail it, there’s every chance I’ll beat this letter home, but I can’t help it, I just had to reply!_

_First off, please tell me you didn’t put that banana peel on Taylor’s doorstep? That’s really dangerous, Jess. He could’ve broken his neck! Of course he didn’t, he just sprained his ankle, and he probably looked pretty funny flailing around as he fell. I can’t believe how much you’ve corrupted me already, Mariano! I guess it’s okay if Taylor isn’t too badly hurt, and hey, maybe it wasn’t even you that caused this. Maybe. I’m sure I’ll find out for sure when I get home._

_Home sounds so good right now. Just five days to go and I’ve never missed Stars Hollow more. You and Mom, Luke and Lane, just everybody and everything about our little corner of the world, I want to see it again as soon as I can. I know Mom wants to pick me up from the airport, but I kind of hope you come along too, if only to help me carry all the books I’m dragging home! I’m joking, of course. Well, about the help with carrying being the only reason to see you, not about the volume of books I’m bringing. I made a list of all the titles and I’m including it in with my letter. Some you may want to borrow and of course you can, though I have a feeling there are some you’ll make faces at too. We can’t like everything the same, that would be weird._

_You started The Fountainhead again? For me? Jess, that’s so sweet! Yes, I know, you don’t want to be called sweet because it would ruin your rep or whatever, but I think it’s so nice that you want to like it just because I do. You know what? I might even force myself to read a Hemingway for you. Which was his shortest novel?_

_I had more to tell you but right now I’m coming up blank. All I can think about is coming home and seeing you again. Don’t get me wrong, this trip has been amazing, I’ve learnt a lot and experienced so much, but it would have been better if I could’ve done all this stuff in Stars Hollow, or at the very least with you._

_It seems crazy that Paris’ romantic life is currently more active than mine! Jamie didn’t actually ask her out yet, but I get the feeling he wants to. There has been some flirting, kind of. I’m not sure Paris really knows how to flirt, but Jamie has sure been trying. No, he’s not medically insane! You really shouldn’t be so mean, Jess. Jamie is such a nice guy, so smart and great in a debate. Don’t go getting jealous on me though, even if he wasn’t so into Paris, he’s not my type. I like my guys dark and moody with a side of snark. Any idea where I can find me one of those?_

_Seriously though, it’s kind of nice knowing you miss me as much as I miss you. Five days to go now, just five. It’s a lot less than forty two, and still it feels like forever._

Rory actually felt tears filling her eyes as she finished off her letter with love and kisses. It was insane, she was so close to going home, and yet now was the time when she missed home more than ever. Maybe it was just because they weren’t being kept quite as busy. Most of the events seemed to take place in the first five weeks, and now it was just a couple of social functions and debate meets before they finally went home.

Rory worried some about the future, about going away to Harvard and everything. If she missed Stars Hollow, her mom, her boyfriend, her friends, so much after less than six weeks, she had no idea how she was going to be gone for months at a time.

“No use worrying about that now,” she said to herself as she folded her letter into an envelope and quickly addressed it.

As much as Rory thought she might beat the letter home, she really hoped she didn’t. Maybe if she was lucky Jess would be at the airport when she got home. She was as excited to see him again as she was her mom, and that was the truth.

 

**Day 41**

“I can’t believe you and Luke actually went on a date!” Rory grinned into the phone.

She was so happy to have her mom on the line, and even happier knowing that she would be home very, very soon to see her in person.

“It wasn’t so much a date,” her mother rolled her eyes, and Rory could definitely hear the expression. “We went out for coffee, and seriously the java wasn’t that great, but the company was good. You know me and Luke, we can pretty much talk about anything.”

“But this was different,” said Rory, sure she was right. “This wasn’t just talking across the counter at the diner or having him over at our house to fix something, this was date-like.”

“I guess it was,” agreed Lorelai, sounding strangely bashful. “It was nice, really nice. Hey kid, do you think it’s okay if I date Luke?” she asked then.

She sounded so weird and nervous about it, Rory had to smile.

“I think it’s great,” she said definitely. “You guys get along so well, and I don’t know, things seemed to be happening before I came away. That hug at your graduation, and the dancing at Sookie’s wedding, it was all sort of... y’know.”

“Yeah, I know,” her mother agreed. “I’m just... I don’t want to screw anything up, and it’s all so new and... and it’s Luke.”

“I know,” Rory nodded in understanding, even though Lorelai couldn’t see her. “But sometimes you just gotta make the leap, like I did with Jess. I know we had that misunderstanding before but we’re okay now, things are really good. It was messy when I broke up with Dean, and obviously everybody could’ve done without the car wreck me and Jess had, but I’m not sorry how things turned out. That crash taught me something - grab every moment, because you don’t know what might happen tomorrow.”

Lorelai smiled at her daughter’s apparent wisdom. She was so young and so smart, Lorelai could easily be jealous if she had a mind to. Instead she intended to take good advice as it was given to her. She did want to be with Luke, it made so much sense, she couldn’t believe they never went for it before, but they would now and it could be great. She shook her head when she realised she had been silent too long and went right back to her conversation with Rory.

“So what’s on the agenda for today?” she asked.

“Oh, well, we have a breakfast mixer with members of Congress and the Senate in an hour,” explained Rory, using her free hand to pack things she wouldn’t need in the last day and a half before they left Washington for home.

“Cool. See if you can steal me something off of Tom Daschle’s fruit plate,” Lorelai told her, at which Rory laughed,

“I’ll see what I can do,” she agreed. “Er, Mom, have you... have you seen Jess these past few days?” she checked.

“I may have encountered our resident town hoodlum, yes,” smirked Lorelai. “And he may have mentioned to me a certain letter with a request in it that I bring him along to a certain airport to pick up a certain daughter of mine tomorrow!”

Rory giggled at her mother’s way of putting things and thanked her profusely for being so cool. It was well known that Lorelai and Jess didn’t really get along but they were trying so hard since he started dating Rory. That meant the world to Rory, and she hoped they knew it. If they didn’t she was certainly going to make it clear when she got home. Just one more day.

* * *

“Jess!”

Rory was so excited when she answered her cell and found it was her boyfriend.

“Hey. I know you’re headed home in the next twelve hours but I just got off shift in the diner and... I don’t know I couldn’t concentrate on anything, I just wanted to hear your voice already,” he admitted.

Rory grinned.

“Mom told me she’s bringing you to the airport tomorrow. I can’t wait to see you,” she enthused. “It’s been a long six weeks.”

“You’re telling me,” said Jess with a sigh. “Lorelai said you get in at three.”

“I do,” Rory agreed. “You think you’ll recognise me after all this time?” she joked. “I mean, for all you know I could’ve changed while I was away. There’s still time yet, perhaps I’ll go blonde.”

“I strongly request that you don’t.”

“Afraid of change?”

“No, I just happen to love you exactly the way you are.”

Rory was a little stunned by those words. They use the word love to sign off their letters but never yet in this relationship had either of them actually said ‘I love you’. To be fair, Jess hadn’t said it now, but it was way more implied than it ever had been before. She swallowed hard.

“Er, thank you” she forced out. “I... I happen to love you just the way you are too,” she told him with a little more confidence after she had a moment to process. “I really do,” she smiled.

“Hey, can you stop being cute for two seconds! I need help here!” Paris suddenly yelled so loud that Jess heard her on the other end of the line.

“What is wrong with her?” he asked. “I mean, besides the usual.”

“Jamie’s finally asked her out,” Rory explained.

“Huh,” said Jess, the only response he could find to such a revelation.

He tried not to snigger at the debate that then happened on the other end of the phone, with Paris explaining that she well understood why people were shocked to realise she might in fact have a date. Rory tried to placate her, and it was one of the few times Jess could say he heard his girlfriend lie. It was entirely strange that Paris Gellar had found a guy that was into her enough to ask her out, but like he said before in a letter to Rory, there was supposed to be someone in the world for everyone, even freaks like Paris.

“I’m sorry, Jess,” said Rory suddenly. “I have to go.”

“You sure it’s safe?” he dead-panned.

“I’ll be fine,” she promised with a giggle. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’m counting the hours.”

**Day 42**

The car ride to the airport had been all but silent. Lorelai was trying to get along with Jess, she genuinely was, but as far as she knew they didn’t have much in common and she wasn’t sure where to start a conversation with him. Jess was in a similar position. They both loved Rory and Luke in their own ways, but as far as he could tell, that’s where any connection between himself and Lorelai ended. He was proven wrong just once when the radio started playing White Riot and both he and Lorelai started singing along. That had caused a laugh and a small break in the tension, but by the time they were stood side by side in the airport waiting for Rory to appear, things were pretty awkward again.

“So,” said Lorelai, hating the silence so much she just had to break it. “You like The Clash?”

“Yes,” replied Jess, hands in his pockets as he shifted awkwardly. “You too, huh?”

“I do,” she nodded, and that seemed to be the end of that.

“Y’know we’re not required to make conversation,” he told her easily. “I’m fine with quiet time, if you want.”

Lorelai nodded her head, and yet just as fast as she looked away, she looked back at Jess and started talking again.

“I just... I don’t want you to think that I hate you or anything, I don’t,” she said definitely. “I know the first day we met didn’t go so well...”

“I wasn’t exactly being a great human being that day,” Jess shrugged, remembering it all too well.

“And you had your reasons” Lorelai reminded him. “Your mom shipping you out here, a place you don’t know, a crazy lady trying to tell you what a great break it all was when you were busy hating on everybody,” she smiled and watched as the corners of his mouth twitched to match the expression. “We started off on the wrong foot, Jess, and we both have to take a little blame for that.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “So, what now? We become best friends or something? Because I’m telling you now, I’m not dumping Rory for you,” he smirked wickedly.

“Oh, kid, don’t even joke,” she shook her head, even as she smiled at his humour. “You have enough to handle in Rory, you could not deal with me.”

“That’s why I’m leaving you to Luke,” he told her, almost seriously. “Y’know you’re good for him.”

“Thank you,” Lorelai smiled, a little taken aback by the unexpected compliment. “Honestly? In the long run, I think you’re gonna be good for Rory too, and she’s definitely good for you.”

“She’s too good for me, I know that,” Jess admitted. “But that won’t stop me trying to be good enough for her.”

Lorelai was so busy marvelling at all Jess was saying, and smiling at the sweet sentiments, he actually had to nudge her with his elbow and prompt her to react when the announcement came that Rory was due through the doors any second. By the time Lorelai looked around, there she was, her baby girl.

“Mom! Jess!” Rory yelled, dropping her bags in a second as she came pelting at them in ungainly fashion.

With an arm around both their necks, she practically strangled both mother and boyfriend as she hugged them as tight as she possibly could. Neither Lorelai nor Jess were about to complain as they hugged Rory back, and somehow kind of ended up hugging each other as well in the weird group hug situation that was tough to get out of, and nobody was trying.

“I missed you both so much!” said Rory, practically bouncing in their grasp.

“You too, sweets,” Lorelai agreed as everybody disentangled their limbs from each other. “You have fun?”

“It was great, but I’m so glad to be home,” her daughter told her, eyes drifting to Jess in such a way that Lorelai couldn’t help but notice.

“Hey, I know that look,” she said with one of her own that was mock-severe in nature. “And you two will get your turn later. Mommy needs her time slot for a while, but the evening is all yours, okay?”

“But Friday Night Dinner...” said Rory desperately.

“I got you out of it,” Lorelai confirmed. “My parents might be under the impression that your plane lands tomorrow afternoon,” she smiled.

“Big fat lie!” her daughter exclaimed, but Jess only laughed.

“I think we’re gonna get along even better than you thought,” he told Lorelai, who rolled her eyes.

“I’m gonna get these bags to the car,” she said, gathering up Rory’s fallen luggage. “You guys get any saliva swapping out of your system before you hit the parking lot, k?” 

She was gone with a wink and Jess watched amusedly as Rory complained and blushed at the same time. Her hand had found his at some point, gripping on tight. He liked that, but Lorelai wasn’t exactly off base with what she said before. All Jess had wanted to do since Rory appeared through the doors was kiss her.

“So,” he said, turning into her.

“Hi,” she smiled, as his arms slid around her waist.

“Welcome home,” he told her, moving in to kiss her soundly on the lips.

Rory sunk into a moment she had quite literally been dreaming about for six weeks. She meant what she said, her trip had been a great learning experience and she wasn’t sorry that she had been convinced to go. Jess was right, she probably would have regretted staying home, but she had missed him terribly. She had missed everybody and everything. At this point she would even be happy to see Taylor and hear him complain! For right now, however, she was content in her mission to get from the arrivals lounge to the car without ever stopping kissing her boyfriend. It seemed Jess was happy to be of assistance with that, and though they might’ve crashed into at least three different people on their way, neither of them noticed. To be honest, neither was having very many coherent thoughts right now, but if Rory could manage to think of anything it would be that it was very, very good to be home.

The End


End file.
